Truth & Rumors: Tiger's yacht 'Privacy' up for sale

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Looking to buy a boat this summer, but hoping to save a few bucks on a gently used model rather than brand new? Now you can skip those Craiglist ads and simply call Tiger Woods, who is selling his yacht, Privacy, for $25 million, according to the Palm Beach Post. Woods reportedly purchased the yacht as a wedding gift for his then-wife Elin Nordegren, and today the ship requires a 13-man crew and costs $2 million per year to maintain. Although the yacht is more than six years old, Woods is looking to turn a profit on the deal.

While Woods bought the ship for $20 million, he believes it appreciated in value because it's been well taken care of.But Palm Beach Gardens mega-yacht builder John Staluppi doubts the former world's best player will get the asking price."The market on big yachts has gone down," said Staluppi, who's currently building a 200-footer. "Banks aren't financing and the economy is off. It's a buyer's market."Unless he sells to someone who wants to brag that he's got Tiger's yacht, he'll get about $20 million."So, why's the golfer unloading his toy?For one thing, he still has a brand-new 62-foot yacht, Solitude.

"We spent two full days on Amen Corner," Yates said. This is the most famous stretch of Augusta National, comprising the second shot of No. 11, all of No. 12 (whose arched stone Hogan Bridge, over Rae's Creek, is arguably the course's most recognizable feature) and the tee shot from No. 13.If they did nothing else right during this visit, Yates reminded his team, they would have to get Amen Corner dead solid perfect."When we crested the hill on No. 11 we set up the scanner at the narrow part of the fairway, right where you see into Amen Corner," Yates said. "I remember talking to the assistants gathered at the scanner, and saying "We have to get all of this exactly right. We will scan this as many times as we have to, to get this right."Indeed, in the game, No. 11's presentation of the fairway down onto the green is a weirdly engrossing view, seeing and interacting with something in uncommon clarity while your brain still processes its detachment from reality. The afternoon shading that dapples the fairway is informed by a scan that took in the exact dimensions of individual branches in the surrounding foliage, to be rendered in-game.

Weir and caddie Pete Bender have parted company. Bender, a veteran who caddied for Greg Norman, among other players, worked with Weir this year after Weir’s long-time caddie Brennan Little decided to go with Sean O’Hair. Weir missed the cut in four of the five tournaments with Bender. He said the parting was friendly and that each needed a change. “Pete’s a great guy. I’m sure he was frustrated with how poorly I was playing.”Graham Courts will caddie for Weir at the Masters. Courts has worked with Loren Roberts, now a Champions Tour player. He’s an Australian. He caddied for Weir many years ago when Weir played some tournaments on the Australian Tour. That was before Weir made it to the PGA Tour.

Weir will get into Augusta next Sunday and will play 18 on Monday, and nine on each of Tuesday and Wednesday. He'll also play the par-three contest on Wednesday afternoon. He said he and Wilson did some good work in La Quinta. "I'm looking at Augusta as one tournament in a building process. I'm not going to put pressure on myself. What I've been doing wasn't working, but I feel I'm on the right track now. It's been very difficult, but I'm excited about Augusta already. I know I'll hit it better there. Whether I'll hit it great, I don't know. But I know I'll hit it forward and not sideways. If I play great there, it will be a bonus."